Treating intentions with sincerity and weight increases the likelihood of follow-through.
Utilizing prompts, cues, and reminders brings intentions to the forefront of the mind, enhancing follow-through.
Deep dives
The importance of taking intentions seriously
One of the main ideas discussed in the podcast is the significance of taking intentions seriously. The speaker emphasizes that intentions should be treated as solemn promises to oneself, similar to promises made to others. By treating intentions with sincerity and weight, individuals are more likely to follow through and take action to achieve their goals.
The power of spotlighting intentions
Another key point addressed in the podcast is the power of spotlighting intentions. It is emphasized that good intentions only work when they are at the forefront of one's mind. Utilizing prompts, cues, and reminders can help bring intentions to the top of the mind, increasing the likelihood of following through on them.
The effectiveness of willpower leveraging
The podcast highlights the effectiveness of willpower leveraging in enhancing follow-through. Willpower leveraging involves modifying the environment to make it easier to follow through on intentions. This strategy reduces the need for sheer force of willpower by changing the circumstances to support desired behavior.
Strategies for successful follow-through
The podcast presents various strategies for successful follow-through, including the leading horse to water strategy and the right before wrong strategy. The leading horse to water strategy focuses on making intentions as easy as possible to implement, initiating the behavior without triggering the avoidance monster. The right before wrong strategy involves doing the right thing before allowing engagement in a potentially detrimental action, fostering positive habits and reducing the urge to engage in unfavorable behaviors.
You get really excited about an idea to start an exercise program, or become a better partner, or get organized. And then you do . . . nothing. Absolutely nothing.
It's said that the road to Hell is paved with good intentions. Even if they don't send you straight to Hades, good intentions, that go unfulfilled, can lead to real suffering. When you fail to act on your perennial plans for progress, you end up feeling frustrated, demoralized, and stuck.
My guest is a clinical psychologist who has spent his career obsessed with how to tackle this stubborn issue of human existence. His name is Steve Levinson, and he's the co-author of Following Through: A Revolutionary New Model for Finishing Whatever You Start. Steve first explains the unhelpful ideas we have about why we don't follow through and that its real cause comes down to a tension between two different systems within us. He then shares the ah-ha moment he had as to how to reconcile these systems in order to consistently follow through on your intentions and offers strategies on how to put his follow-through method into practice. We end our conversation with the idea that the greatest strategy for increasing your follow-through is treating your intentions with a seriousness that borders on the sacred.